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Child Labor in the Philippines

October 10, 2015

Gold is a highly-prized commodity worldwide. The Philippines are rich in gold deposits, but mining that gold is a dangerous job that is often carried out by children. The wages are pitiful.

https://p.dw.com/p/1Gm4m

The worldwide demand for gold continues to climb. Fifteen percent of the gold mined worldwide comes from small, often illegal operations, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). These mines are particularly common in the Philippines. Many children are among the workers -- children like Eric and Jay. They, too, use mercury and cyanide to extract the gold from the iron ore, risking their lives to make a living. But often the wages are not even enough to scrape by.

Deadly Gold Rush: Child Labor in the Philippines. A Report by Roxana Dürr.